Spigelia genuflexa (Loganiaceae), a new geocarpic species from northeastern Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

A new species of Spigelia L. (Loganiaceae), Spigelia genuflexa Popovkin & Struwe, sp. n., from the Atlantic forest of northeastern Bahia, Brazil, is described, being the first reported geocarpic species in the family. During fruit maturation, the basal infructescences bend down towards the ground, depositing the fruit on the surface (and burying it in soft kinds of ground cover, e.g., moss), whereas the upper ones do so slightly but noticeably. The species is a short-lived annual apparently restricted to sandy-soil habitat of the Atlantic forest of northeastern Bahia, with variable and heterogeneous microenvironment and is known from only two restricted localities. A short review of amphi- and geocarpic species is provided. A discussion of comparative morphology within Spigelia with regards to dwarfism, indumentum, and annual habit is included. A phylogenetic parsimony and Bayesian analysis of ITS sequences from 15 Spigelia species plus 17 outgroups in Loganiaceae confirms its independent taxonomic status: on the basis of sequence similarity and phylogenetic topology it is phylogenetically distinct from all Spigelia species sequenced so far.

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“…The first comprises Antonieae, which were sister to the reminder of Loganiaceae. This is consistent with previous studies (Backlund et al, ; Oxelman & Bremer, ; Frasier, ; Popovkin et al, ). However, our results for the relationships among Loganieae, Spigelieae, and Strychneae are in conflict with some previous studies.…”

“…For example, Oxelman & Bremer () found that Loganieae were sister to Spigelieae and embedded in Strychneae, whereas Frasier () resolved the sister of Loganieae as Spigelieae + Gardneria , which were sister to the other Strychneae (not including Gardneria ). In contrast, Popovkin et al () used phylogenetic analyses of ITS and showed that Loganieae were paraphyletic and included Spigelieae, which were sister to Neuburgi + Strychnos of Strychneae (Popovkin et al, ). Our results are generally consistent with Backlund et al (), except that they found Spigelieae as sister to Strychnos .…”

“…Within Apocynoideae, the placement of Nerieae was uncertain Simões et al, 2007;Straub et al, 2014). Within Loganiaceae, the monophyly of Strychneae and the position of Loganieae were controversial in previous studies (Backlund et al, 2000;Popovkin et al, 2011).…”

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“…The article by Popovkin et al (2011) on a new, genuflexing plant from Brazil took the lead as the most downloaded paper by reaching more than 10,200 views in 14 months. Among the top ten most viewed articles, the paper by Miller et al (2011), a review article on the outcomes of the Botanical Nomenclature section at the XVIII International Botanical Congress and its Spanish version (Knapp et al 2011b), was downloaded more than 12,500 times…”

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“…Antonieae possess winged or spindle-shaped seeds and septicidal capsules (sometimes also splitting loculicidally for a short distance from the apex), and are further distinguished by aspects of their wood anatomy (Leeuwenberg & Leenhouts 1980, Mennega 1980, Backlund et al 2000, Grant 2009). Spigelieae, now including only Spigelia L., is readily distinguished by its strongly bilobed capsules with persistent style bases (the upper portion of the style being deciduous) and generally cincinnate inflorescences (Leeuwenberg & Leenhouts 1980, Popovkin 2011. Capsule dehiscence in Spigelia is both loculicidal and septicidal, thus producing four deciduous valves from a bicarpelate gynoecium, with a distinctive basal cupula persisting within the calyx following shedding of the valves (Leeuwenberg & Leenhouts 1980).…”